Thursday, November 05, 2009

Jeera Biscuit -- Whole Wheat Eggless Cumin Cookies

After the thekua episode I was on a high. This was easy I thought. I didn't have to fish out menacing contraptions to whisk, mix etc. as in regular baking. I didn't have to follow measures diligently, I could still throw things around. I didn't even have to roll out perfect rounds like chapati !!! Why not make something more I thought.

Jeera Biscuits, savory cookies spiced with cumin, has always been a favorite. So that was it largely based on this recipe. Mine had no eggs and were made of whole wheat. They were delicious, lovely accompaniment to the evening tea. The recipe lets you experiment a lot, next time I am going to add some other spices and see the result

In a bowl mix with the tip of your your fingers 1 cup whole wheat flour(atta), 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 tbsp Ghee/melted Butter, a pinch of baking powder, 1 tsp & little more of salt, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1/4--1/2 tsp of sugar and some ground pepper powder. The result should be like a crumble. Note: Adjust salt to your taste. Now I think ajwain/carrom seeds would have tasted great in this.You can add other spices too.

Mix 2 tsp of yogurt in 1/4 cup of water and add it gradually to the above, mixing with your hands to make a dough. Knead gently with your hands to make a stiff dough that does not stick. If you need more/less wateradjust accordingly

Wrap the dough in a wet kitchen towel and let it sit for 15-20 minutes

Roll it out thick with a rolling pin and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter or just cut out rounds with a bottle lid. Prick them with a fork.

Place on a greased baking tray

Pre-heat oven to 375 F

Bake for about 30 minutes till they are light brown in color. In my toaster oven, these took about 30 minutes after which I flipped and baked for 10 more mins to make them cripser. Note: These are my toaster oven settings, time may vary and should ideally be done in 25-30 mins in regular oven. Check to see if they are nicely browned and that should be it.

Drawback: They weren't as crisp the next day but they still tasted great.

Now Reading:

Here is some more update on the Food Memoirs I have been reading for the last few months.

Comfort me with Apples -- Ruth Reichl. This is a sequel to Tender on the Bone. Wish I had a life like her, almost, would have had so much to write about. Sometimes when I read her I am not sure if it is pure fiction, everything in her life is so vastly different from a life I am used to. Still reading...

Miriam's Kitchen -- Elizabeth Ehlrich. After this drop me in a Jewish kitchen and I will dance away in there smoothly. I know all about kosher, paerve, "kosher style" and how difficult it is to maintain a Kosher kitchen. The author's journey from "ambivalent Jew to a woman who observes tradition and teaches her children about their ethnic heritage" is definitely interesting. I know very little about the Jewish life and this book opened up a window to a culture and traditions that were very interesting. Almost done.

Kitchen Confidential -- Anthony Bourdain. Though I am smitten by this guy, the book hasn't touched a chord yet. But then I am not even half way through this book.

they look really yummy. There are so many of the baked cookies I want to try. Thanks for the cooking memoir post. I read the Tender on the bone and enjoyed it immensely. The Language of baklava was a great as well.

My only attempt at biscuits was a disaster. I just tried one recipe and it flopped - well, it flopped for someone else who tried it too, so I guess there was something wrong with the recipe. There's something v satisfactory about baking but the preparation, the creaming, the implements etc puts me off. And if you don't do it steadily, the results are hit and miss.

i love zeera, i will definitely try this recipe- smthg to have with a good cup of tea.thanks for your comment on my blog- i have yet to write the recipe for Kabuli Palao, I want to do it when my mum is visiting- so i dont make any mistakes. look forward to reading more interesting recipes on your blog. best wishes, shayma

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Predominantly a Bong, who loves being a Mom and loves to cook among other things for the li'l one and the big ones.She loves to write too and you will find her food spiced up with stories. Mainly a collection of Bengali Recipes with other kinds thrown in, in good measure. A Snapshot of Bengali Cuisine